Computer method and apparatus using embedded message window for displaying messages in a functional bar

Abstract

A computer-implemented method employs message windows in a functional bar (e.g., toolbar, status bar, address bar, task bar, etc.) embedded in a software program to display messages (including text, images, animation, video, audio, etc.), where the messages displayed in the windows are based on searches conducted by the user. The software program in which the windows are embedded may be a browser or non-browser application. The messages displayed in the windows are downloaded from a server connected to the computer. In one embodiment, the messages are downloaded when the computer is connected to the server and stored on the computer, and later displayed in the message windows when the computer is not connected to the server. The method can be used to display advertisement or to allow organizations to communicate with their constituents. The method allows advertisers and organizations to select subgroups of users to direct their messages to.

1 . A method implemented on a computer for displaying information to a user, comprising: 
 (a) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of an application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (b) connecting the computer to a server via a network;    (c) in response to a user input of a search term, forwarding a search request to the server;    (d) receiving search results responsive to the search request and additional messages from the server, the additional messages having been selected by the server based on the search request;    (e) displaying the search results to the user; and    (f) displaying the additional messages in the message window in the functional bar area.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application program is a browser program.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application program is a non-browser program.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the messages include text, images, graphics, animation, video, or audio messages.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (d) includes receiving a plurality of additional messages from the server, the method further comprising: 
 (g) storing the plurality of additional messages received from the server; and    (h) displaying the stored plurality of additional messages in the message window in the functional bar area when the computer is disconnected from the server.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of additional messages are displayed sequentially.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (i) storing user profile information on the computer; and    (j) filtering the received additional messages based on the stored user profile information before the displaying step (f).    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a search term from a user, including: 
 in response to a pointing device of the computer being placed over a content in the main window, obtaining text representing the content as the search term.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content is text and the text is used as the search term.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the content is image, graphics, or video, and wherein code behind the image, graphics, or video is read and the search term is automatically selected from the code.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 in response to a user input, changing a size or shape of the message window.    
   
   
       12 . A method implemented on a system including a server and one or more client computers connectable to the server via a network, the method comprising: 
 on each client computer:    (a) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of an application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (b) connecting the computer to the server via the network;    (c) in response to a user input of a search term, forwarding a search request to the server;    (d) receiving search results responsive to the search request and additional messages from the server, the additional messages having been selected by the server based on the search request;    (e) displaying the search results to the user; and    (f) displaying the additional messages in the message window in the functional bar area; and    on the server:    (g) obtaining and storing a plurality of messages from a plurality of message senders;    (h) receiving a search request from a client computer;    (i) obtaining search results responsive to the search request;    (j) selecting, from the plurality of stored messages, a subset of messages based on the search request; and    (k) transmitting the search results and the subset of messages to the client computer.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 on the server:    (l) storing user demographic profile information associated with each client computer;    wherein the selecting step (j) is further based on the user demographic profile information associated with the client computer.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 on the server:    (m) receiving control information from a message sender defining a target user demographic profile;    wherein the selecting step (j) is further based on a comparison between the target user demographic profile defined by the message sender and the user demographic profile information associated with the client computer.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 on each client computer:    storing user profile information; and    filtering the received additional messages based on the stored user profile information before the displaying step (f).    
   
   
       16 . A method implemented on a computer for displaying information to a user, comprising: 
 (a) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of a non-browser application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (b) connecting the computer to a server via a network;    (c) receiving messages from the server; and    (d) displaying the messages in the message window in the functional bar area.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the information is text, images, graphics, animation, video or audio messages.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 in response to a user input, changing a size or shape of the message window.    
   
   
       19 . A method implemented on a computer system comprising at least one sender client computer, at least one receiver client computer and at least one server, the method comprising: 
 (a) the sender client computer transmitting to the server a first message and control information associated with the first message specifying intended recipient or recipients of the first message;    (b) the server storing the first message and the associated control information; and    (c) on the receiver client computer:    (c1) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of an application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (c2) connecting the receiver client computer to the server via a network;    (c3) receiving messages from the server; and    (c4) displaying the messages in the message window in the functional bar area.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the control information associated with the first message identifies one or more intended recipients, and 
 wherein in step (c3), the receiver client computer receives the first message if it is one of the one or more intended recipients.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the control information associated with the first message specifies a demographic profile of intended recipients, and 
 wherein in step (c3), the receiver client computer receives the first message if it has a profile satisfying the demographic profiled specified by the control information.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein in step (a), the control information identifies the sender client computer itself as the intended recipient and further specifies a condition for message delivery; 
 wherein in step (c) the receiver client computer is the sender client computer, and wherein in step (c3) the first message is received if the condition for message delivery is met.    
   
   
       23 . A method implemented on a computer for displaying information to a user, comprising: 
 (a) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of an application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (b) connecting the computer to a server via a network;    (c) receiving a plurality of messages from the server;    (d) displaying at least a subset of the received messages in the message window in the functional bar area;    (e) storing the received messages; and    (f) displaying at least a subset of the stored messages in the message window in the functional bar area when the computer is disconnected from the server.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein in each of steps (d) and (f) the messages are displayed sequentially.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , 
 wherein step (c) further comprises receiving from the server a plurality of landing pages associated with the respective messages;    wherein step (e) further comprises storing the landing pages;    the method further comprising:    (g) in response to a user input identifying a displayed message, displaying the landing page associated with the identified message.    
   
   
       26 . A method implemented on a computer for displaying information to a user, comprising: 
 (a) creating a functional bar area associated with a main window of an application program, the functional bar area including at least one message window;    (b) connecting the computer to a server via a network;    (c) receiving a plurality of messages from the server;    (d) storing user profile information; and    (e) filtering the received plurality of messages based on the stored user profile information to select a subset of the messages to be displayed;    (f) displaying the selected subset of messages in the message window in the functional bar area.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 generating the user profile information by collecting information while executing the application program.